1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a collapsible material handling container and, more particularly, to an improved collapsible container which can be collapsed in a simple and facile manner.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Material handling containers are available in a wide variety of types and constructions. Such containers must be capable of ready handling by fork lift trucks and the containers must be vertically stackable. Many of these known containers are collapsible to reduce the space they occupy when they are not in use. One such container comprises a first side wall which is hingedly connected along one vertical edge thereof to one of the end walls, and a second side wall which is hingedly connected along one vertical edge thereof to the other end wall. The end walls can be folded to overlie the respective side walls, with the side walls in turn being hinged to the base of the container so that they can be folded downwardly to overlie the base. This known container, as illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,442,231, has met with substantial commercial acceptance. However, a disadvantage of this prior container is that the end walls are swung through arcs of about 270.degree. in order to position same in overlapping relationship with the respective side walls. Thus, a substantial free space must be provided around the container when the container is to be collapsed or erected. Further, in order to collapse this prior container, all of the locking hardware used to lock the walls in upright erect positions must be disengaged.
Accordingly, in a continuing effort to improve on both the structural and operational performance of collapsible containers of this general type, the present invention provides a collapsible container which is free from the above-noted disadvantages.
Specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved collapsible material handling container, as aforesaid, in which the end walls are swung inwardly to collapse the container. The only outward swinging of walls that is required during collapsing is a small outward swinging of the second side wall so that the end walls can be swung inwardly therepast. Thus, the container can be collapsed and erected without requiring substantial free space around it.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved collapsible material handling container, as aforesaid, in which only the locking hardware that connects the end walls to the second side wall must be disconnected to effect collapsing. Thus the container can be collapsed in a more facile and efficient manner requiring only a minimum number of manual manipulations.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide an improved collapsible material handling container, as aforesaid, which incorporates a swingable gate associated with the first side wall, or swingable gates in both the first and second side walls, of the container to permit access into the interior of the container, which is strong and durable, and which permits simple and efficient collapsing of the container without requiring any special manipulation of the gate structure.